Nathan Hadley | Peak Season Podcast | Episode 7

PAcific

Northwest

multi-pitch test pieces

and meditations on creating the newest addition.

This podcast has brought me on a journey in understanding my own interests, all while keeping you all in tow. Hopefully you’re enjoying the ride.

I sure am.

Some of our guests have a known resume, name brand and something they are looking to share specifically, which is awesome, it has been an absolute honor to host these people, and look forward to doing more of it.

But, they don’t need quite as much of an introduction.

I picked Nathan, because he’s the dark horse.

He’s the ridiculously talented band, playing bars in a small town bar. He has totally a devoted following and the training of a Juilliard graduate. Instead of music, he has been a student of movement. Specifically rock climbing movement.

Much like a virtuosos musician, an early start at a young age combined with raw ability has quickly set him apart from the rest. Quickly moving up in the competition climbing scene, never grew burnt out and after college found his way into Route Setting in the world class climbing gym, The Seattle Bouldering Project.

Route Setting and setters create the experience we get from the climbing gym. Route setting will vary based on a variety of factors. Gym size, funding and hold types, sizes and level of training provided. The goal is to re-create climbs that we recreate on outdoors.

What an interesting job right?

Do this day in and day out and you’ll start feeling wrecked from the shear quantity of climbing, heavy lifting and blue collar work you’ll endure. Though, the setter gains a very unique relationship with moving your body and reading the wall. Something that most can only acquire over years and years of time. This time can’t be “short cut” but, in can be condensed. You can get a high volume of movement in a short period of time. This repertoire and dialogue with movement, steepness of wall and how to link features, builds quite the play book for going out onto rock outoors. Like writing and playing music, repetition is the mother of skill, and setters get this in spades. This is what Nathan’s early years have set him up for in what he’s achieved as of recently.

Blue Bell, is a 21 pitch 5.13- on the North Norwegian Buttress of Mt.Index. The route was established by Nathan and Michal Rynkiewicz & Stamati Anagnostou. This trio of low-key crushers are the perfect trifecta for a project of this grandeur. The team established the line and freed it in September 2023. The climb showcases a variety of movement and stakes a striking line on the imposing wall that sits above lake serene, just off Highway 2 in Washington State. This famed PNW mountain has been the stage for a very small number of big wall of ascents, due to it’s location and sheer difficulty. Before blue bell there was a new route established in 2020 by Sam Boyce, Lani Chapko, Kyle Willis, August 2020. They established Jötnar VI 5.9 A3+. A team with other PNW notables such as Roger Strong established a large VI route on the North Norwegian in 2003. Lastly, but really the person that paved the way early on was the infamous Peter Doorish. He started the vision for climbers on this buttress via a new route established in the 80’s, largely solo!

In addition to Blue Bell Nathan has climbed routes on Mt. Barring across the valley and the Canadian alpine trilogy, an adaptation of the “Alps Trilogy”, a triple crown of difficult rock climbs, completed in the shortest time (years, months) possible.

The alps trilogy are three multi-pitch rock climbs that were established within the first decade 5.14 was established. These three climbs initially were to be completed within ones career and were a life time achievement. Legendary climber, Stefan Glowaz took 7 years in the early 1990’s. The Alps trilogy, three difficult routes all containing pitches of 5.14a and greater than 5 pitches in length. This career achievement was first accomplished conceived and completed by Stefan Glowacz who repeated Silbergeier 5.14a in the Swiss alps established by Beat kammerlander, End of Silence 5.14a by Thomas Huber in Germany's Berchtesgaden Alps and Des Kaisers neue Kleider 5.14a by Stefan Glowacz located in Austria. At the time this was treading on the edge of absolute physical difficulty and like all record achievements it wasn’t even viewed as humanly possible. After Stefan repeated the routes, the perceived boundary had been broken down and others set out to try and repeat these routes. The successive 3 people took 2-5 years each to complete the alps trilogy. Most recently being completed in 2020 in a single season “Carbon free” by bike. Incredible.

Enter Sonnie Trotter, Canadian rock climbing all star, a Michael Jordon of the Canadian rock climbing scene, or perhaps Wayne Gretzkey? I’m not sure how Wayne holds up in Canada, sorry Sonnie. anyway, really freaking good at climbing rocks. Sonnie creates the Canadian Alpine Trilogy.

, Sonnie Trotter climbed three large alpine rock rocks in the Canadian rockies in a single season, War Hammer on Castle Mountain, Blue Jeans Direct on Yamnuska and The Shining on Mount Louis, now the Shinning uncut. Nathan and partner Mike Kerzhner were the fourth team to complete this world class achivement. Nathan has an excellent blog and recounts sending these routes over at his website nathanhadley.com.

Nathan has been establishing long multipitch 5.13s and 14s in the state quitely and humbly. He does so with little attention compared to the standard you-tube-ification of everything these days and with out much ado. I don’t want to lift the veil to much on Nathan, but it would be a shame not to brag about the talent in the community and get inspired!

We start the interview talking about a route he repeated called the Dark Side of liberty on Liberty bell moutain in washinton state. It’s a bit like mechanics talking about cars for a minute, but lean in, it quickly takes into another direction. We just love this stuff too much to not get a little nerdy with it :)

Established by Mikey Shafer and Shanjean Lee, Dark side of Liberty climbs 10 pitches up to 13.d. It’s insaley great movement and climbs like nothing else of the mountain, which largely is slab/vertical climbing. This route inintally climbs all the styles and has notable steep roof. If you aren’t familiar with Shanjean Lee and Mikey’s resumes dive in, they are also a total legends.

After we recorded this episode one of Nathan’s partners Michal Rynkiewicz on Blue bell was involved in a fatal climbing accident. Michal was an Index and WA state climbing luminary and about as passionate as them come about climbing in the PNW. This accident has beyond shook the community and left many of us speechless. I had the pleasure of seeing Michal climb during my days at index and it was always incredible to see him move. His friends and family have a Go fund me to help support his family during this incredibly difficult time. If you can’t donate, I implore you to climb at Index, get on Bluebell, get out and climb for Michal.

We send our love to the community and his family, this episode goes out to Michal.

-Steffan

Peak Season Podcast

Mark AllenJanuary 4, 2024